Abstract

Poole–Frenkel emission in Si-rich nitride and silicon oxynitride thin films is studied in conjunction with compositional aspects of their elastic properties. For Si-rich nitrides varying in composition from to the Poole–Frenkel trap depth decreases from 1.08 to 0.52 eV as the intrinsic film strain decreases from 0.0036 to −0.0016. For oxynitrides varying in composition from to increases from 1.08 to 1.53 eV as decreases from 0.0036 to 0.0006. In both material systems, a direct correlation is observed between and Compositionally induced strain relief as a mechanism for regulating is discussed.